Here, he paired up with a fellow bridge builder and began designing and building wooden bridges, with a shop near where the Rochester Public Library’s Central Library stands today. In the late 1860s, Leighton branched out into iron bridges, working largely for railroad companies in the midst of massive rail expansion.

Leighton Avenue, near Culver Road and Atlantic Avenue, was the site of his Leighton Bridge and Iron Works, and still bears his name today. According to Carhart, the Iron Works employed more than 300 people and was one of the largest in the state. It even had four tracks running through the workshop to facilitate easier transportation of goods.

Taxes/Property Watchdog:
After covering the Town of Greece and myriad suburban education issues for the Democrat and Chronicle over the past few years, Meaghan McDermott is taking up coverage of taxes, government spending and property rights issues. Don’t feel bad for her: she likes numbers and likes knowing where her tax dollars are going even more. &nbsp;